The E-Sylum: Volume 9, Number 21, May 21, 2006, Article 28
THE POWER OF A PENNY
According to an Associated Press story this week, A Flint, Michigan
woman learned the hard way that a single cent can make a big difference,
at least when it comes to dealing with her local power company.
"It was just a penny, but to Consumers Energy it was enough to cut
off power in a local home. Jacqueline Williams, 41, had an electricity
bill of $1,662.08 and paid all of it, except for one cent. That wasn't
enough for the power company, which blacked her out for seven hours
Wednesday.
The CMS Energy Corp. subsidiary told Williams the power would not be
turned on until the penny was received.
"I went down there, paid my penny and got a receipt," Williams said.
Shortly after, the electricity was turned back on."
[The woman was behind in her payments and had gotten checks from two
agencies to augment the money she'd been able to pull together toward
the bill, but came up one cent short. The woman and the "penny" she
used to complete the payment are pictured in the article. -Editor]
To read the complete article in USA Today, see: Full Story